Wimbledon’s warm-up tournament, the Aegon Championships, will be attended by more spectators from 2017 when Queen’s Club’s Centre Court capacity will increase by 30 per cent.

More than 2,000 additional seats will be added to the 6,651-capacity arena in time for next year’s male-only tournament.

In addition, the tournament’s owner – the Lawn tennis Association (LTA) – has signed a 10-year agreement to continue staging the event at the West London venue until at least 2026. It was first staged there in 1890.

According to tournament director Stephen Farrow, tickets in 2016 sold out within 24 hours, while the venue “enjoyed a 20 per cent increase in hospitality sales”.

“The demand for an increase in capacity is clear,” he added.

Andrew Stewart, chief executive of the Queen’s Club, added: “While the increase in capacity will allow more people to enjoy the event, both we and the LTA will ensure that the intimate atmosphere for which the Queen’s club is so well known will be retained.”

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